Lead or Rumour info - Middle East Urbex

[AlexUrbex1]

Just dreaming of when I can travel I thought I don't know anything about Urbex and the middle east. Anyone have any knowledge or experience? Especially dubai as that's the most likely place I think people would travel to.

I found this article that states urbex is very rare in the entire middle east, as of 2016. https://www.exutopia.com/urban-exploration-in-saudi-arabia-an-interview-with-wata/

 

[Purplegoat]

Oman has a load of abandoned forts and fortified villages that are pretty neat and unguarded. Most where abandoned in the 1970s to 1990s as the country modernised. I visited a few on trips out there to see my dad working out there. The country as a whole is also pretty lovely.

Exploring the Lost Villages of Oman

Oman’s abandoned villages are home to incredible houses and castles, deserted and suspended in time. Here’s everything you need to know.

theculturetrip.com

Saudi Arabia also has the Hejaz Railway which has some explorable tunnels and stations. Also in Saudi has some Petra style cave cites, tombs and spice trade road infrastructure. There's some that have been developed in to tourist sites around AlUla but also more smaller sites spread through out the country along the old trade roads. I've yet to visit Saudi but will be once I'm allowed as my dad's now working out there. If anyone has got any more info on stuff to do or sites worth vising on the Red Sea coast or near Tabuk I'd love to hear.

 

[wormster]

We did find a small theatre in Teboursouk, Tunisia. No security no fences no cameras - no worries back in 2009!

 

[wormster]

Beirut had quite a few interesting looking places when I was last there in 09 thing was I didn't fancy the prospect of discovering some left over ordinance from past conflicts.

 

[AlexUrbex1]

Yes I thought about Lebanon and would have been keen to go. But I think the explosion in the port has caused widespread poverty and the potential for unrest. Such a shame In fact Celion Dion was due to play there but it was in summer, way too hot for me. It didn't go ahead in the end anyway.

 

[Purplegoat]

I just remembered another thing that may be of interest. I visited a abandoned film set in Qatar in 2014 and 2019 place is known as film city its a smallish fake fortified village. Its now got some caretakers living there but they don't care about you looking around, they even helped use fix a flat tyre. In the surrounding desert there's also some neat art and fake tombs. You will need a 4x4 to get there. If you've got no other reasons to visit Qatar tough I wouldn't bother there's 3 days worth of interesting stuff in the country not really worth the cost of a flight endless its a stopover.

 

[wormster]

We went to go up to Ballbeck to find the big stones and the roman trmples - they were amazing and the locals were very happy to see us. I do agree with you about the awfulness of the current situation and the sooner we all give up gods and guns the better then the locals will be able to harvest our money and live peacefully

 

[drhowser]

I spent a little over a year in Abu Dhabi and apart from a few roofs and construction sites there was nothing.
As far as Dubai goes, I know three people who were arrested for trying to get onto roofs, one guy because he had lock picks in his bag.

I also didn't post anything publicly until I'd left either.

 

[AlexUrbex1]

I've seen a video of an abandoned plane just outside Dubai. Its new city, I doubt there is much else

 

[AlexUrbex1]

Or maybe not, this looks interesting: https://www.therichest.com/most-popular/derelict-dubai-10-abandoned-places-that-you-dont-get-to-see/

 

[westernsultan]

found this article on railways - there must be a lot more https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2016/5/1/a-trip-back-in-time-on-lebanons-disappearing-railway/

 

[wormster]

Was that abandoned plane a little crop duster? Seem to remember one there back in the 80's, it was over on the Diera side towards the airport???

 

[Bertie Bollockbrains]

Somebody mentioned Beirut?

The marina area is dominated by the huge derelict war-damaged Holiday Inn, as reported here in the Guardian.

Useful tip... Beirut has the most expensive airport taxis I have ever encountered... use the bus!

 

[wormster]

Yeah we did look at the Holiday Inn, but the AK47 wielding uniformed guard kinda put the mockers on that one. The marina area was looking beautiful and very cosmopolitan, doubt it's the same now.